With Sister Prejean were State Representatives Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) and Ted Celeste (D-Grandview Heights), cosponsors of House Bill 160, proposed legislation to replace Ohio’s death penalty with a penalty of life without parole. And I was glad to see Dayton Representative Roland Winburn on the video, which I interpret as indicating his support.

It’s Time To End Ohio’s Death Penalty

In 2010, Ohio had the second most executions of any state in the country, behind only Texas. With more than 156 people still on death row in Ohio and a proven track record of wrongful convictions, there is a real possibility that Ohio could execute an innocent man or woman—if we haven’t already.
That’s why I’ve introduced a bill in the Ohio state legislature to end the death penalty and replace it with a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.

My bill has already had one hearing in the House Criminal Justice Committee. With a second hearing coming up in just a few weeks, I know many of my colleagues in the State House remain undecided. In order to build the support we need for this legislation, Ohioans like you need to make your voices heard.

So I created a petition to the Ohio State House on SignOn.org, which says:

It’s time that Ohio ends the death penalty. Show your support by encouraging the members of the Criminal Justice Committee in the Ohio House to vote in favor of HB 160.

The DP is enormously expensive, at a time when we are gutting our schools, fire departments, and street crews. The DP does NOT deter murder, as every available statistic proves that you are significantly more likely to be murdered in states that regularly carry out the DP, making the DP State-administered revenge, which there is no provision for in either the Federal or any State Constitution. And the euthanization of human beings, however rotten they are, is a sick practice in any case.

I support broadening the use of the death penalty. Many liberals and others have complained over the years that the death penalty is imposed primarily on those who are poor or of color. I suggest that anyone who commits fraud or theft in the amount of $1 billion or more be automatically sentenced to death. Those whose fraud or theft of between $500 million to $1 billion may be executed if the jury so decides. I believe that might serve as some deterrence.